The constellations are a mysterious force in the night sky. Princess Celestia manages them each night with the moon*. Each constellation is formed by a collection of stars into a specific shape and there are known to be twelve primary constellations in the night sky: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. Each maintains dominance in the night sky for approximately one month before rotating.
Mythically, the twelve main constellations are said to at one point been ponies in Equestria. After a war that ravaged the land, they were imprisoned in the night sky to protect the citizens of Equestria and watched over by the Princess of the Night. Little else is known about the creation of the constellations, but different myths and legends surround each one.
*Formerly managed by Princess Luna
—Excerpt from Sky and Space
“Phoenixes? Why would the princess want me to learn about Phoenixes?” Twilight wondered aloud. “That note aside, this is obviously nothing other than absolute balderdash. I know it was written by Starswirl and Celestia did say that there was at least some truth, but that myth was utterly ridiculous! It’s not scientifically possible! Flying to the sun is not scientifically possible!”
“Shh!” hushed another pony on the other side of one of the ceiling-high bookshelves.
“Sorry,” said Twilight sheepishly, realizing that her voice had gradual gotten louder and louder as it usually did when she was about to head into a rant. “Well, what’s the next outlandish myth that the Princess wants me to read? The Star’s Reclamation?”
The alicorn looked up confusedly. “Reclaiming the stars? Discord. Could he really have the power to take the stars from the sky?” she whispered in a voice that was partially awe and partially disgust. “Well I bet this myth is just Luna flying into space and lighting them back up again. But the princess did want me to read it.”
She glared at the next page almost in a battle of wills between reading it and disobeying the orders of the one she most respected.
“Fine.”
* * *
The constellations, once prisons, had gone out along with the rest of the stars during the reign of Discord. All other stars were also hidden from sight of mortal eyes. When the two sisters looked to the heavens, they saw the faintest pinpricks of light while others saw only shadow. And so they realized that the stars could not be put out, not even by Discord. A veil had covered the stars, a veil of darkness.
The Lunar Goddess flew to the edge of the atmosphere to remove the blackness that assisted in preventing the rebirth of magic. But it was no simple darkness. The shroud was a living nightmare that covered Equestria and plagued the ponies below with dreams of darkness. For seven days and seven nights did the she fight the shadow while her sister watched helplessly from below, unable to assist without potentially losing the only force strong enough to bring about the rebirth of Equestria.
Ponies watched below as their goddess fought for them in the space above, their night now illuminated by the moon, for it was strong enough to pierce the blanket, and blue lightning that was always enveloped in blackness almost as quickly as it appeared. And so the ponies prayed and sent their power to the moon princess.
At least, she threw down the forces of the nightmare and banished them to the moon. Darkness lifted from the world below, bathing it with the glow of the stars once more. Magic also began to reconnect slowly, one of the few things it needed now clear again.
And so, another legend was born: The legend of the Lunar Princess and her first fight with the nightmare for her people.